PURPORT
PURPORT
In many places, the sastras describe the Supreme Personality of Godhead as being more inclined toward His devotees than toward His wife, who always remains on His chest. In Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.14.15) it is stated:
Here Krsna plainly says that His devotees are more dear to Him than Lord Brahma, Lord Siva, Lord Saṅkarsana (the original cause of creation, the goddess of fortune or even His own Self. Elsewhere in Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.9.20) Sukadeva Gosvami says,
The Supreme Lord, who can award liberation to anyone, showed more mercy toward the gopis than to Lord Brahma, Lord Siva or even the goddess of fortune, who is His own wife and is associated with His body. Similarly, Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.47.60) also states:
"The gopis received benedictions from the Lord that neither Laksmidevi nor the most beautiful dancers in the heavenly planets could attain. In the rasa dance, the Lord showed His favor to the most fortunate gopis by placing His arms on their shoulders and dancing with each of them individually. No one can compare with the gopis, who received the causeless mercy of the Lord."
In the Caitanya-caritamrta it is said that no one can receive the real favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead without following in the footsteps of the gopis. Even the goddess of fortune could not receive the same favor as the gopis, although she underwent severe austerities and penances for many years. Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu discusses this point with Vyeṅkata Bhatta in Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya 9.111-131): "The Lord inquired from Vyeṅkata Bhatta, 'Your worshipable goddess of fortune, Laksmi, always remains on the chest of Narayana, and she is certainly the most chaste woman in the creation. However, My Lord is Lord Sri Krsna, a cowherd boy engaged in tending cows. Why is it that Laksmi, being such a chaste wife, wants to associate with My Lord? Just to associate with Krsna, Laksmi abandoned all transcendental happiness in Vaikuntha and for a long time accepted vows and regulative principles and performed unlimited austerities.'
"Vyeṅkata Bhatta replied, 'Lord Krsna and Lord Narayana are one and the same, but the pastimes of Krsna are more relishable due to their sportive nature. They are very pleasing for Krsna's saktis. Since Krsna and Narayana are both the same personality, Laksmi's association with Krsna did not break her vow of chastity. Rather, it was in great fun that the goddess of fortune wanted to associate with Lord Krsna. The goddess of fortune considered that her vow of chastity would not be damaged by her relationship with Krsna. Rather, by associating with Krsna she could enjoy the benefit of the rasa dance. If she wanted to enjoy herself with Krsna what fault is there? Why are you joking so about this?'
"Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu replied, 'I know that there is no fault in the goddess of fortune, but still she could not enter into the rasa dance. We hear this from revealed scriptures. The authorities of Vedic knowledge met Lord Ramacandra in Dandakaranya, and by their penances and austerities, they were allowed to enter into the rasa dance. But can you tell me why the goddess of fortune, Laksmi, could not get that opportunity? '
"Lord Caitanya replied, 'Lord Krsna has a specific characteristic. He attracts everyone's heart by the mellow of His personal conjugal love. By following in the footsteps of the inhabitants of the planet known as Vrajaloka or Goloka Vrndavana, one can attain the shelter of the lotus feet of Sri Krsna. However, the inhabitants of that planet do not know that Lord Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Unaware that Krsna is the Supreme Lord, the residents of Vrndavana like Nanda Maharaja, Yasodadevi and the gopis treat Krsna as their beloved son or lover. Mother Yasoda accepts Him as her son and sometimes binds Him to a grinding mortar. Krsna's cowherd boy friends think He is an ordinary boy and get up on His shoulders. In Goloka Vrndavana no one has any desire other than to love Krsna.' "
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